Chapter 15 - Third wife

I saw Alec run to Janes side, he had been fighting Sam and Embry who had nearly got the better of him, but now he stood with his sister to face Rosalie and her family.  I had never seen such anger in the Cullens, even Carlisle was beyond speaking, his nostrils flared and his eyes were wide.  Esme was roaring, her lips stretched over her sharp teeth.  

There was a momentary standoff and then I saw Rosalie, like a flash, just swoop off and grab Jane by the head.  Janes powers were nothing to the pain of losing Emmett, and Rosalie could defy them.  With one clean twist, Rosalie ripped Janes head from her shoulders, and tossed it across the field into the fire.  Jasper grabbed the headless corpse and launched it at Aro, who looked shocked at the outcome.  

“Aro!” Rosalie screamed at the Volturi leader, “You are next!”

Aro smirked, “Come get me!” 

Carlisle put his hand across and took Rosalies, whose face was glistening in the sunrays that had burst through the clouds.  All the Vampires glittered, and then I plucked up the courage to look upon Emmett as he lay dead in the field.  He was not sparkling, his effervensence was gone, and I missed him so much my guts felt like they would twist.  I covered my face with my hands and cried.

I wished I could hear what they were saying, the Cullens were communicating with each other but I couldn’t make it out.  Carlisle was not letting Rosalie attack Aro, I could see her strain against his grip, she had nothing to lose.

Esme had approached Emmetts body and was tenderly lifting it to take it to the edge of the field, when she was suddenly attacked from behind by a tall dark vampire.  Esme didn’t even flinch, and with Emmett in her arms she attacked back, like a mother bear she roared, and the strength she found in her grief ripped through her attacker until he was helpless and headless on the ground.  The fire welcomed him and Esme continued to carry her son across to where it was safe to lay him.

I flicked my eyes across to Edward in time to see him punch Alec in the head from behind as Jasper stood motionless in front.  Alec was just about to attack Jasper in his hypnotised state when Edward flew in and with a punch knocked Alecs concentration long enough to allow Jasper regain his senses and rip into Alec, killing him as easily as a child with a spider.  I found the process strangely intriguing, not gory or stomach turning at all, with each vampires headless limbless torso being thrown on the fire, I got closer to having Edward back, and that was the only outcome I knew I could live with.

I surveyed the field, the sides had evened out, dead vampires burned in the pyre and now the Cullens were facing an equal battle, one on one.

Suddenly I felt eyes on me and I turned my head.  Standing about fifteen feet to my right was one of the enemy vampires, a tall latina, and her eyes glowed red as fire and stared straight at me.

“What have we got here?” She swished a few paces closer.

I heard Edward shout my name, knowing he had heard the vampires thoughts and he sprinted across the field, his face wild with anger that I had endangered myself in this way.  He grabbed me and shoved me behind him, hurting my arm as he did so, but I didn’t care, I was determined to stand up and fight to the death if I had to.

“Leave her” He demanded but the smell of me was irrestible to the female and I got the impression she would rather have me as her last meal than not at all.  She licked her lips and approached us slowly, like a lioness through the brush.

Edward completely lost it, the anger that I had defied my promise to stay safe and the thought of this vampire having her way turned his eyes blacker than I had ever seen and he launched himself at her, throwing her to the ground and biting a chunk out of her neck.   She wailed but fought back, like two expert fighters they collided mid air and each punch was returned with an equal one.  Then Bronte joined Edward and with two against one, the female was soon burning along with the rest.

Bronte stared at me after it was done, “You stupid girl!” She hissed, “You fool!”

I felt ridiculous. Bronte was right, what did I think coming here would have achieved.  The  realisation that protecting me was an extra burden that my friends didn’t need was a hard one to take.  I felt so angry with myself.

Just at that moment, as I came to this conlclusion, we were suddenly surrounded by vampires, all red eyes on me.  The Cullens and the Wolf Pack ran between us and the battle moved over to where I stood in the trees.   A dramatic fight broke out between the two sides again, but it was more aggressive this time, more heated - hunger was involved.

Edward fought like a lion, beating the enemy back with his ability to foresee their moves, it was an easy battle.  He killed his opponent, tossing their limbs on the fire, and moved to the next.  The odds swung in favor of the Cullens and there was hope.  I thought about Alices premonition... losing Emmett was more than we could replace, I hoped it would remain at that.  I looked around at the fighters, and I became aware that I could not see Aro.  I searched for him in vain among the thrall, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I felt his breath on my shoulder and he suddenly pulled me back into the brush, without even an opportunity to scream I was alone with him in a clearing.  He circled me, sniffing the air like an animal, licking his lips and disgusting me to the pit of my stomach.  

“So the Cullens darling - Bella Swan...” Aro said, “Surprised to get to you so easily... I’d have thought Edward would have been right on me, I hoped he would... but it’ll be more interesting this way, I’d be happier to kill him when he has lost everything... I’ll enjoy seeing him destroyed before sending him to hell!”

“He’ll kill you!” I shouted, knowing from my previous run in with James that any running or fighting back was futile.  The object in my pocket would do nothing against a vampires strength.

Aro threw his head back and laughed.  Two vampires I recognised stepped from the bushes, and I realised the battle on the field was only half the war.  There were more of them, and it seemed hopeless.

Suddenly Edward was in the clearing, “Let her go!” He said to Aro, “I’ll kill you!”

“You’ll kill me? You? Thats hilarious!” Aro mocked, “I will do the killing, thank you, but I don’t know who to kill first, Bella? or Edward? Maybe Edward, I do enjoy salty tears with my main course” he nodded at his men who lunged and grabbed Edward by the arms, pinning him to the spot, he struggled but could not free himself.  His eyes became wild and he stared at me, I could see he was desperate.

Rosalie stepped into the clearing, “Aro... what do you think you’re doing?”

“Ah Rosalie, the new widow... Come join us, I’m sure you will enjoy watching the girl die, after all she is the sole reason why your husband lies rotting in the field”

“Back off Aro” Rosalie barked, “Its you I’m after...” 

Aro held up the Khosrau Cross in front of him like a shield, “Come get me!” He smirked.

Edward roared with frustration, “Rosalie get out of here!” he shouted but she shook her head.  

“Rip him apart!” Aro commanded, stepping toward Edward.

I screamed and tried to shut out what was to happen, I could not watch it, I had to stop it.

I ran into the middle of the crowd, pulled the dagger from my pocket and pulled it sharply and deeply across my wrist.  The blood bubbled from the vein and fell like heavy rain onto the leafy floor below me.  I raised my arm, “Take ME!” I screamed, my voice echoed off the trees and thundered off the rocks.

The vampires that held Edward dropped their charge and lunged at me, Aro turned, eyes black, and he seemed to rise up taller than before.  He jumped, knocking the two others out of the way and grabbing at me.  Edward began to fight the others off, killing one and struggling with the next.  Aro advanced closer to me but then he was suddenly knocked away by Rosalie, “Leave her!” She commanded and kicked Aro in the face sending him flying to the forest floor.  He threw himself back onto his feet and sprang into the air, vicious arm to arm combat with Rosalie, swiping at her with the stake.  

Rosalie seemed to have the fight under her control, but then I saw her eyes drift away for a moment to where Emmett lay in the field, her arms dropped by her sides and she stood quietly, calmly, allowing Aro to plunge the Khosrau cross into her chest.  A fleeting smile crossed her lips before she fell at his feet like a rag doll.  Rosalie was dead.

Aro turned his attention back to me, my arm covered in blood, my body was becoming weak and I thought I might fall. I called out to Edward weakly “The stake Edward....”

He tore the last vampire to shreds and turned to face Aro, who had realised the stake was still in Rosalies body, and was bending to retrieve it when Edward brought his knee up to Aros jaw and a fight between them ensued.  

I was so weak, I could not breathe, I dropped to my knees and the world, my world, started to spin away from me, as if I was on a carosel, all the faces that I loved looking on as I was taken away.

Just before I disappeared forever, I saw a large wolf passing me, and launching itself across the path of Aros stake which was headed for Edward.  I wished with my last breath that Edward would be saved and wished it at any cost.  I let my eyes fall on the scene, Jacob fighting to save Edward and my heart begged the Gods to take him instead.  Not Edward, not Edward.  Take Jacob.

I had imagined death a thousand times, but I hadn’t prepared myself for this, to see Edwards beautiful face ravaged with pain as I slipped away, I was not prepared for that pain which overtook the physical and screamed through my body searing me with anguish.  I heard him roar my name, Bella, but I slipped away anyway... into a darkness which I recognised as Death.